The Standard Gauge Mountain Railway
'''Thomas and The Standard Gauge Mountain Railway '''is a THETHOMAS4 story written in September 2013 Plot The Island of Sodor is a magical island. Not many people know of it's existance, but those who do,love it just the same. The Island is in the Irish Sea, between the Isle Man and England. Something even less people know, is that the Island of Sodor is a gateway to 3 different dimensions. Our dimension, the Human one. The Cars dimension, where there are no humans, only talking cars, and the Lego dimension, which is basically the human dimension, but it has superheroes, like Batman, Superman, Iron Man, etc. It was a beutiful fall day on the Island of Sodor. Thomas the Tank Engine was busy pulling his two coaches, Annie and Clarabel on his branchline that runs from Knapford, to Ffarquhar station. as he stopped to let his passengers out at Ffarquhar station, he wondered. "You know driver, for as long as I've been working on this line, I've never been past this station." Thomas said to his driver. "Well it's you're lucky day Thomas. You were so early today, it's only 1:00. We don't have to be back at Knapford until 2:30. Why don't we tour down this line, just for a change." Thomas' driver agreed. Thomas was excited. He passed over the Ulfstead Express Line, the Maron-Arlesburgh Branchline, even an old, run down Station, until he had to stop. There was a giant track block made of cement with a sign saying "Line Closed. Trespassers will be arrested among entry!" "Sorry Thomas, this is as far as we can go." Thomas' driver said. But Thomas was curious. He wanted to know more. That night, at Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas was telling his friends about the line. "What did the station look like?" Asked Edward. "It was rusted. Brown bricks, covered in vines!" Thomas said. "Now that I think about it, there is an old branch line that runs off the main line that goes that way. Perhaps tomorrow when I stop at Cronk for coal and water, I'll quickly look down the line." Gordon said. The next day, before Gordon left Knapford, he told his driver about what he wanted to do and about what Thomas had said. Little did he know, Diesel was sitting a few tracks over, listening. When Gordon's driver agreed, Diesel slipped out of the station on his way to Cronk, he was going to follow Gordon down the line. Not long after, the guard blew his whistle and Gordon left Knapford. It was a good run, but when he got to Cronk, he needed to fill up. "Guess what Gordon, we made it here early. Bulgy hasn't arrived yet, so we have to stay until Bulgy arrives. Look's like we can tour down the branchline after all!" Gordon's Driver explained. "Ohh! Good! Let's go now in case Bulgy arrives!" Gordon said. So off they went. The rails were old and rickity. Then, Gordon saw a narrow guage line coming from the direction of the Skarloey Railway, the line was now a dual gauge one, like the ones in the Blue Mountain Quarry or at Ulfstead Castle. Gordon was surprised. Then, the line was perfectly staight, going slowly up a mountain. When he reached the top, the track was still perfectly straight, with no downhill. Then Gordon got an even greater shock. There, covered in moss and dirt, was a yellow and green crane. "Wh-Wh-Who are you? Asked Gordon. "Is it any of you're concern?" Asked the crane, quite rudely. "My word. You're a fiesty crane, aren't you. What is you're name, and before you ask. It is my concern." Gordon said sternly. "My name is Ron. And this little whatever you wanna call it with the lamp, that's Tony. This used to be one of the busiest lines on the island back in 1915. Then we were closed, because the North Western Railway's mainline, didn't need a branch coming off it. This used to be a Main Line, Goods Line AND Narrow Guage Line! Then the Fat Director and his son, Charles came. saying sorry. PAH! Sorry my hook! He shoved all the engines up at the mountain's top, who knows if they are still there or not!" Ron explained. "Oh my!!" Gordon said, going further up the mountain. Finally, he reached the top. There, standing rusty and broken were 4 steam engines. "Oh my stars!" Said one of them. "It's finally come! He's here to take us to the scrap yards!" "What!? No no no! I'm just coming up the line exploring! My name is Gordon. Who are you all?" Gordon explained. "I'm Steve." Said the number 1 red tender engine. "I'm Weldon." Said the number 2 green tender engine. "I'm Oscar." Said the number 3 Yellow tank engine. "and i'm Esteban." Said the number 4 orange tank engine. "Oh my! What kind of railway was this?" Asked Gordon in surprise. "Well." Began Steve. "This was the Standard Gauge Mountain Railway. One of the busiest lines on the island. When the North Western Railway was reopened in 1914, we ran the place. Weldon and I pulled the express trains and Oscar and Esteban did most of the shunting up here. Back then, the main line only ran to the last station on this line, from Knapford, but it had many sharp turns and steep hills, thats why after this station, the line has teeth, and we have two wheels on our undercarrage that grip the teeth when traveling at high speeds." Steve explained. "Like a mountain railway..." Gordon said. "EXACTLY!" Steve yelled. "Then down near Ron and Tony, that was the goods part of the line. 3 Little green scottish engines often came with empty trucks to bring slate down back to the construction sites of new stations. We often swapped passengers with narrow gauge trains on a platform near Tony and Ron. Then, in 1916, the mainline that went to Barrow-In-Furness was opened. We hardly had any work at all. Our drivers put us up here until we had work, but work never came. The green engines left and the Narrow Gauge ones never came anymore. Then one day, The Fat Director and his sin, Charles came to say they were sorry about our line having to close. We've been sitting here ever since. If you don't mind us asking, what year is it now?" Asked Steve. "Oh my. You won't believe me, but. It is 2012! I've been here since 1921 though!" Gordon said. The engines gasped. "2012!?!?" Asked Oscar. "I'm afraid so..." Gordon said. "No worries though, I'll be sure to let the Fat Controller knkow you are here!" Gordon said. "He's still alive!?" asked Esteban. "No, my goodness me, no!" Gordon laughed. "His grandson, Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III. But he'll no doubt retire soon, he has been controller since he is 71." Gordon explained. "Does he have kids to take over for him?" Asked Weldon. "Indeed, he has four boys and one girl, but it seems only one wants to fill the role, one of his twin boys, Bertram. But anyways, he would be pleased to restore the line!" Gordon said. "Really??" Asked Steve. "Really." Gordon said. Later that day, at the Vicarstown Dieselworks, Diesel was telling Diesel 10 all about the mountain engines. "Hmmm...Thank you for telling me Diesel. I will talk to our boss and see what he thinks. Stay. Here." Diesel 10 ordered. He quickly went into his shed. No one knew what was in it, but they knew better than to go in. A few minutes later, he returned. "He will meet you at the Ironworks in 30 minutes...get a couple engines and shunt them there." Diesel 10 said. So Diesel quickly raced, with the help of 'Arry and Bert, they each grabbed an engine, Diesel got 2. "OH DEAR!" Cried the engines. They were very confused. On their way to the Ironworks, they passed Henry who was taking a goods train from Croven's Gate to Tdmouth Station. "Oh my!!" Henry said, he knew that those were the engines. Henry's driver knew too, and let Henry pick up speed. When the arrived at Knapford, Thomas was getting ready to leave when Henry whistled loudly. "THOMAS! THE DIESELS ARE GOING MELT THE ENGINES GORDON FOUND DOWN! HURRY TO THE IRONWORKS!!" He yelled. Thomas whistled and quickly puffed to the Ironworks. "OH MY! THOMAS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FAST WERE GOING!?" Yelled Thomas' driver. "NO! AND I DON'T CARE! WE MUST GET TO THE IRONWORKS!!" Thomas yelled. Little did Thomas know, his fireman pulled out his iPhone 4, and began filming Thomas' speed gauge. He was breaking the world speed record for steam locomotives! Only Spencer's Streamlined Sister, Mallard, from the National Railway Museum in York held that record! The record was for 124.5 mph (200.4 km/h), and thomas was going 127.5 mph (202.2 km/h)! Thomas roared into the Ironworks, just as the doors into the smelting shed were opening. Thomas' driver ran over and closed the door. Just then, a shady looking man dressed in all black with a helmet and cape and sash holding a gun ran over to Thomas driver and fireman and began to fight them. Thomas called for his crew, but they had to deal with the hitman. While all of this happened, a dark man in in a black suit with a white tie and a black fedora watched from the observation deck. The man grinned. Then, Thomas' fireman hit the hitman over the head with a shovel, then his driver and fireman ran to Thomas, and coupled up to all the Mountain engines, and with all of Thomas' might, he pulled out of the Ironworks and left for the Croven's Gate Steamworks. When Thomas arrived, Victor was very surprised. "My goodness my friend. How many engines are there?" He asked. "F-F-Four..." Panted Thomas. Just then, Sir Tophamm Hatt arrived. "Thomas!? Why aren't you on you're branch line!? Daisy had to take Annie and Clarabel!" Sir Tophamm Hatt yelled. "THESE ENGINES ARE WHY, SIR!" Thomas said, still tired from hauling the engines from the Ironworks to the steamworks. "Hmm. Who are they?" The Fat Controller asked. Thomas explained everything. "Hmm. Well. Victor, what do you say? Have room for four engine repairs?" Sir Tophamm Hatt asked. "Of coarse Sir! But you will need to call the Dieselworks about those two vehicles on the line." Victor said. A few weeks later, the engines and line was restored, and the stations were reopened. The Standard Gauge Mountain railway is much like the Culdee Fell or Skarloey Railways, they transport both goods and passengers, and make the most out of their glorious line! Meanwhile, in the Vicarstown Dieselworks, Diesel, 'Arry, Bert and Diesel 10 stood, thinking. "Our boss is disapointed with us..." Diesel 10 said. "Of coarse he is." Said 'Arry. "No surprise there." Said Bert. Suddenly, a car rolled into the Dieselworks. The car had eyes in it's windshield and a mouth on it's bumper. It was from the Cars dimension. All the diesels but Diesel 10 gasped. Diesel 10 knew who it was. "Speaking of our boss, where is he?" Asked the car. "Ah. The Crossover King. You're back from Gotham I see. Well, I hate to tell you but the boss is out right now." Diesel 10 said. "What a shame. Well, I need to speak with him before I leave again. I'm heading for Metropolis you know. Or whats left of it at least. Apparently the one who fought the alien IS still alive. Or one of his hench men are at least. Oh well, looks like I'll be waiting here until the boss returns" Said the Crossover King. End of Part 1, Next, The Harwick Project Characters *Thomas *Edward *Henry *Gordon *Diesel *Ron *Tony *Steve *Weldon *Oscar *Esteban *Diesel 10 *'Arry & Bert *Victor *Sir Stephen Tophamm Hatt *Annie & Clarabel (do not speak) *James (cameo) *Percy (cameo) *Toby (cameo) *Duck (cameo) *Emily (cameo) *Neil (cameo in flashback) *Sodor and Mainland Railway Numbers 1 and 3 (cameo in flashback) *Bulgy (mentioned) *Daisy (mentioned) *Sir Tophamm Hatt I (mentioned) *Batman (mentioned) *Superman (mentioned) *Iron Man (mentioned) Locations *The Island of Sodor *The Isle Man *England *Knapford Station *Ffarquhar Station *Tidmouth Sheds *Cronk *The Rail-Road Line *Thorkell Station *Vicarstown Dieselworks *Sodor Ironworks *Sodor Steamworks *Gotham City (mentioned) *Skarloey Railway (mentioned) *Culdee Fell Railway (mentioned) *Barrow-In-Furness (mentioned) *National Railway Museum (mentioned) Trivia *This story takes place 2 days after the events of Batman: Smiling Hurts